Let’s be honest, the whole situation with Hearts cutting Celtic’s allocation down to a measly 600 seats is not just ridiculous but also incredibly self-defeating.

Apparently, Hearts were banking on a surge in their own fan attendance—so strong that they could afford to push aside the Celtic support. Yet, when the whistle blew on Sunday afternoon, guess what we saw? That’s right, a sea of empty seats in the home end.

Hearts’ decision-makers might have thought they were gaining some kind of tactical advantage by stifling Celtic’s notoriously passionate and vocal support. But oh, how wrong they were. The Bhoys didn’t need numbers to show their dominance, going up 3-0 in the game. Even when Hearts managed to slot one back, it was too late. Many of their own fans had already headed for the exits, frustrated and disappointed. So much for home advantage, eh?

This nonsense with Hearts brings up a broader issue within Scottish football that’s been simmering for a while now. Celtic have always been advocates for a fair and better policy on away attendances. We didn’t want to cut down anyone’s allocation. Unfortunately, this goodwill wasn’t reciprocated, especially after Rangers decided to slash Celtic’s allocation at Ibrox.

There’s got to be a moment when we all sit back and see how utterly nonsensical this is. Football is about the fans. What’s the point in locking them out, especially when your own stands aren’t even full? Is it just to stick it to Celtic? If so, Hearts’ ploy failed miserably, didn’t it?

So let this be a lesson learned for Hearts and others. Not only does it hurt the atmosphere and the essence of the game, but it can also spectacularly backfire. Celtic don’t need thousands to make their presence felt. They do just fine with what they have. And at the end of the day, isn’t it better to have packed stadiums, roaring fans, and a true celebration of Scottish football? We certainly think so.

An easy and thumping win for Celtic in the end.